Johannesburg History

In the early 19th century, Johannesburg was just a minor settlement developed around several gold mines spread over the area. The city was consistently the site of civil wars, specially during the apartheid.

It is littered with scars and landmarks highlighting its past in the form of numerous gold mines that are gradually disappearing, and museums about the apartheid era and monuments honoring some of the greatest names of history. The city once home to the legendary Mahatma Gandhi who spent 21 years of his life there, now has a museum dedicated to him and  the time he spent in this city.

Industrialization hit the city during World War II and accelerated the development of the region, and eventually elevated the city to its current position. Within a span of a century, Johannesburg was rebuilt several times during which it evolved from being a tented camp to a town of tin shanties from where it progressed to a collection of Edwardian brick buildings and finally took the shape of a modern city of skyscrapers.

Despite the apartheid the contribution of the black residents of the city was essential in the development of the industrial sector. The end to apartheid was preceded with bloodshed in the fight against the regulations and the deaths of more than a thousand black residents of the region.The history of the city is dotted with violence and bloodshed, but also with hope that gave birth to struggles and resilience, that has eventually brought the city up to its current position as the economic center of the country.